funkhouser



Feb. 14, 1956 H. w. FUNKHOUSER 2,734,561

RESERVE FUEL SUPPLY DEVICE Filed April 4, 1952 INVENTOR HAYEZ? WFZ/NHHDz/SE/Z ATTORNEYS gency purposes,

the" first opening serving to advise the operatorthat his United StatesPatent fice 2,734,561 RESERVE FUEL surrnv :nEvlcE 'Hayes 'Funkliouser,Pipersville, Pa. Application April 4, .1952, Serial No. 280,605 aclaims. (Cl. 15'8 3'6.'3)

Thislinve'nti'on' relates to a reserve fuel supply device, and-moreparticularly to a reserve fuel supply means for internal combustionengines such as the engines of automobiles.

In the driving of autombiles it is well known that the operator cannotdepend too completely on the gasoline gauge to advise him when his fuelsupply is getting low.

Moreover, many motor vehicle operators are careless in keepingthemselves informed as to the quantity of fuel available in the tankand, accordingly, will occasionally run. out of fuel, frequently at asubstantial distance from a service station. Under such conditions, itis necessary for the operator to leave his car wherever it happens tobe, walk tothe nearest-service station, and carry back to the car byhand a suilicient quantity offuel to enable him to drive to a servicestation for an adequate fuel supply. It usually is necessary for theoperator to borrow a can from the service station and-most servicestations require .deposits on such' cans. Accordingly, it usually isextremely inconvenient to run out of fuel.

An important object of the present invention is ?to provide novel meansassociated with the fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine,and primarily the engine of a motor vehicle, to advise the driver :thathis fuel supply is low while at the same time vmaintaining a reservesupply which is'available for drivingseveral miles, if necessary, to aservice station in order to'fill the main tankof the vehicle.

-A further object is to provide such a device" which is flexible initsapplication to a fuel supply system' in that it may be embodied in themain fuel supply tank, or in the float chamber of the carburetor or as areserve tank between" the fuel-pump and the carburetor, and which servesto advise the operator that his fuel supply is low while at the sametime reserving a supply-of fuel 'to enable' a'driver to drive to aservice'station' for more fuel, provided he drives at a moderate speed,and-wherein thedevice is'fully automatic in operation and requires noattention whatever on'the part of the operator.

A further object is to provide such a device which normally functions tosupply fuel to an internal combustionengine in accordance with themaximum demands thereof; but which functions automatically to limit to asubstantial extent the rate of flow of-fuel to'the'engine when the fuelsupply has'been depleted to a' predetermined-point,-- but whichfunctions after such point is rached'to provide a reservesupply of fuelwhich will enablethebpertaor to drive at a lower speed to a servicestation to repenish his fuel supply.

Afurther vobject is to provide such a device which functions tofurnish'fuel at a relatively unlimited rate to an internal combustionengine through onefopening-and to provide a second opening supply offuel flows, and to provide'in the devicemeans norlnallycoveringthe'second opening until such time'as .a supply of fuel through suchopening-is needed for emerthe cuttingoff of the flow of fuel throughthrough which a reserve 2,734,561 Patented Feb. 14, 1956 2 fuelsup'plyhas been depleted to the emergency reserve point.

Other objects "and advantagesof the come apparent during the course of"the tion.

In the drawing I have shown several embodiments in the'inventien. Inthis showin M Fig. l is a diagrammatic side elevation showing apreferred arrangement of the reserve fuel supply means between the fuelpump and carburetor of a motor vehicle;

Fig.2 is a central vertical sectional view through 'the reserve fuelsupply tank showing the form" of the invention illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View 6ft line 3 3 of Fig; l; v

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan viewer the float device;

Fig. 5 is a somewhat enlarged detail sectional view on line 5 -5 of Fig.2'; p

Fig. 6'i's a central vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing amodified forth of the invention;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 7'-- '1 of Fig.6;'-"a'nd v Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic showing of the embodiment of theinvention in the neat chamber or aeaiburetqr.

The invention has been illustrated in Fig. l a'sjbeitlg arranged betweenthe usual'tuel pum of an automobile and the carburetor thereof."Referring to Fig. 1; numeral 10 desigr'l'ates a pipe leading from themain fuel suppl tank to su ly fuel to a conventional pump 11 having anoutlet pipe 12 for supplying fuel to the reserve fuel supply tank 13'forming the principal ubject matter of the resent invention. RenarringteFig. 2, itjwill be noted that the tank 13 is provided with'a referablycylindrical'side wall 14, although it will be apparent that the tank maybe of any desired cross sectional shape. The tank is provided with apreferably integralbot'toin 15 and is capped at its'up'p'er end s at T6.The outlet pip jiz from the" pump 11 is connected as at 17 to a pipe '18extendingnpwardl throughthe tank'13 referably teja point adjacent thetop thereof. The pi e '18 serves as the inlet pi e for the tank 13 andduringthe orth-a1 functioning of the pump, when an adequate fuel supplyis available, the tank 13 ismainta'in'd substantially full, asindicated, for example, by the dotted line 19 in Fig. '2. The tank13"is'pr'efe'rably provided with a cross member 20,'which n a'y beetinverted u shape in cross section, brazed or otherwise secured at itsends to 'the side walll l. The pipe 18 eXte'nd's'through thi's'c'rss'member, as shown inFigsl 2 and 3, to brace the pipe 18.

The'tank 13 is further provided with an outlet pipe 25 which alsoextends in a point adjacent the top of the tank. The upper end ofthe'pipe 25 is open'and forms one inlet o ening for the flow of fuelthrough'pi-p 25 and through "an out-let pipe 26 connected theretobeneath the tank and leading to the carburetor 27 shown diagrammaticallyin Fig: '1. The top of the pipe 25 may terrn'inate slightly below thelevel ofthe' pipe 18 ora't any other suitable point, and it will becomeapparent that upon a failure of the pump 11 td supply fuel to the tank13, for example, when the main fuel tank becomes empty, fuelcan flowinto the upper end of the pipe 25 only until the level of the fuel inthe tank 13 drops to the level of the upper .end of "the" pipe 25.Thereafter, the fuel in the tank 1-3becomes'a reserve supply as furtherdescribed below.

Referring to Figs. 2 and'4, the numeral 30 designates a; float arrangedin the tank 13.- This float may be cireulan in form, as'shown in Fig.,4, and is provided with a central opening 31' loosely surrounding thepipe 25 to slideeasiliy thereon while being guided thereby. Tot-he'float 30 is secured a plurality of arms, each indicated inventionwill befollowing descripas a whole by the numeral 32, and these armsextend along and are soldered or otherwise secured to the float 30 as at33. The upper ends of the arms 32, indicated by the numeral 34 in Fig.2, project above the float 30 and are engageable against the bottom ofthe cap 16 to limit upward movement of the float when the tank 13 isfull or substantially full.

Beneath the float 30, the portions 34' arms 32 are provided with servingas reach rods for fixing the float to and spacing it from a lower collar35 slidable on the pipe 25. The collar 35 is freely slidabic on the pipe25 and has its internal diameter made as small as possible while stillpermitting free sliding movement of the collar over the pipe 25. Whenthe upper ends 34 of the rods 32 engage the cap 16 they act asstopmembers to limit upward movement of the float, as stated, and undersuch conditions the reach rods 34 position the collar 35 as shown indotted lines in Fig. 2. The pipe 25 is provided with a relatively largeopening 36 which lies centrally of the length of the collar 35 when thetank is full and the stop members 34 engage the cap 16. When the body ofthe fuel in the tank 13 drops, for example to the level indicated by theline 37, the float 30 will move downwardly, the collar 35 will engagethe bottom of the tank, and the opening 36 will be fully uncovered, forreasons fully described be low; The pipe 25 also extends through thecross mem ber 20, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to be braced thereby.

The opening 36 necessarily is arranged slightly above the bottom of thereserve tank and this is preferable in order to prevent the flow intothe pipe 25, under emergency conditions to be described, of any sedimentwhich may collect in the tank 13. It will be apparent that the tank 13serves as a sedimentation tank to collect any foreign matter in thebottom thereof. The bottom 15 is provided with any suitable means fordrawing off such sediment from time to time and in the drawing a drainplug 38 is. shown for this purpose.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified form of the invention particularlyadapted for use with marine and stationary engines. In this form of theinvention the tank 13 and inlet means 18 may be identical with the formof the invention previously described. In place of thepipe 25, an outletpipe 40 is provided and this pipe is open at the top to normally supplyfuel to an outlet pipe 41 leading to the carburetor. In this form of theinvention the float means is completely eliminated and the pipe 40 isprovided near the bottom of the tank with a very small opening 42 toallow for the flow of fuel at a much reduced rate through pipe 41 to thecarburetor when the level of the fuel in the tank 13 is not sufficientlyhigh to supply fuel to the upper end of the pipe 40.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 8 is a diagrammaticrepresentation of an embodiment of the invention in a float chamber ofthe carburetor. Referring to Fig. 8, the tank embodying the inventionwill be in the form of an enlarged float chamber indicated by thenumeral 45. In this case, the pipe will have its upper end terminatingslightly beneath. the float and the latter will be guided in itsmovement by an arm 46 pivoted in the float chamber as at 47 and providedwith a valve 48 to control the flow of fuel into the float chamberthrough an inlet pipe 49 leading from the fuel pump. The slight playbetween the collar and the pipe 25 will be sufiicient to take care ofthe very slight changes occurring in the angular positions of the float3i) incident to the swinging of the arm 46 about the pivot 47, the arm46 moving only slightly in the operation of the device.

Operation The device may be embodied in various ways in the fuel supplysystem of an automobile. For example, the tank 13 in Fig. 2 may be themain fuel tank, in which case the top of the tank will be provided witha conventional filling opening and the pipe 18 will be elimishould bereduced 4, nated. It is preferred, however, to use the device as areserve supply means, for example between the fuel pump and thecarburetor as shown in Fig. 1.

Assuming that the supply of fuel in the main tank is adequate, the pump11 will supply fuel to the tank 13 through pipes 12 and 18 to maintainthe tank 13 substantially full. The upper end of the pipe 18 preferablyextends to a point near the top of the tank to minimize agitation offuel in the tank'13 when the latter is full, thus preventing thestirring up of any sediment in the bottom of the tank. Fuel flows fromthe tank without restriction under normal conditions through the openupper end of the pipe 25, the float control valve (not shown) of thecarburetor 27 controlling the flow of fuel into the carburetor exactlyin accordance with conventional practice.

Assuming that the main tank becomes empty, the pump 11 can not longersupply fuel to the tank 13. Fuel will continue to be supplied to thecarburetor in accordance with the demands of the engine only until thelevel of the fuel drops to the plane of the upper end of the pipe 25.Tht slight leakage of fuel inside the collar 35 and into the opening 36will not be at a rate suflicient to satisfy normal demands of the engineand the float chamber of the carburetor soon will be empty and theengine will stop. This will serve notice on the operator that the mainfuel tank is empty. He will then preferably turn off the ignition switchof the engine and wait for a minute or two during which period fuel willflow slowly through the inside of the collar 35, through opening 36 andpipe 26 until the float chamber of the carburetor is full. During thistime, the level of the fuel in the tank 13 will drop and the float willmove downwardly until the upper end of the sleeve 35 uncovers theopening 36. From this point on, fuel will be supplied to the carburetorin accordance with moderate demands of the engine, and the operator canthen turn on the ignition key, step on the starter and thus start thevehicle engine in normal operation.

The quantity of fuel remaining in the tank 13 between the level of thefuel when the engine is re-started and the horizontal position of theopening 36 will serve as a reserve fuel supply to enable the driver todrive several miles, if necessary, to a service station to secureanother supply of fuel in the main tank. The distance which can bedriven depends on the miles per gallon consumption of the vehicle engineat the speed at which the vehicle is driven to the service station, anddepends also on the capacity of the tank 13. Having secured anadditional supply of fuel, the normal functioning of the pump 11 willagain fill the tank 13 and the supply of fuel to the engine willcontinue uninterruptedly during the operation of the vehicle until suchtime as the main tank again becomes empty.

The tank 13 is sealed to the atmosphere. However, there will be no dropin atmospheric pressure in the tank 13 to tend to prevent flow of fuelto the carburetor when the main tank is empty, since air will flow fromthe supply line 10 through the pump 11 and pipe 12 to relieve anypartial vacuum which might tend to occur in the tank 13.

While it is stated above that the opening 36 is of such size as tosupply fuel to the carburetor, this opening to the point where it willnot supply fuel at a suflicient rate to maintain a substantial enginespeed. In the operation of the vehicle in driving it at a reduced speedto the service station, therefore, the volumetric demands of the enginewill be supplied through the opening 36. In attaining normal drivingspeeds after having re-filled themain fuel tank, the volumetric demandsof the engine will not quite be supplied through opening 36. Thereforeair will be progressively drawn through the upper end of the pipe 25 asthe tank is refilled by the pump 11 after leaving the service station,thus preventing the trapping of any air pressure in the tank 13. Thusthe tank 13 is enabled to be re-filled from the device in ans-asset themain tank-afterthe supply of fuel in the latter has been replenished, 1

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is particularly intended foruse on stationary and marine engines operating under substantiallyuniform loads. It is not satisfactory for useon vehicles except throughoperation ofthe latter at relatively low speeds when the level of thefuel drops below-the upper end of the pipe 40. This is because of thelimitedsize of -the opening 42 which will not supply the normal demandsof amotor vehicle engine when the vehicle is traveling-uphill. The formof Fig. 6 is extremely simple, however, and is highly satisfactory foruse on marine and stationary engines. When the main fuel tankis emptyand the level of the fuel drops below the upper end of the pipe 40, theengine operated at its usual or normal speed will stop due to theinsufiicient supply of fuel to the carburetor through the opening 42.However, the operator can await the re-filling of the float chamber,start the engine and operate it at a low speed until the main tank hasbeen filled, the size of the opening 42 being suflicient for suchoperation of the engine.

The operation of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8 will beobvious from the foregoing. As long as the auxiliary tank 45 has thefuel therein maintained at the normal level by operation of the floatcontrol valve 48 while the fuel is present in the main tank, the fuelwill flow into the upper end of the pipe 25 and thence through thecarburetor and into the engine. When the main tank becomes empty theusually effective slight opening of the valve 48 will be ineffective forreplenishing the fuel in the tank 45 and from this point on, theoperation of the device will be substantially identical with the deviceshown in Fig. 2. Fuel will flow at a reduced rate through the collar 35into the opening 36 and after the engine has stopped and been re-startedor its speed has been considerably reduced, it can be operated at a lowspeed with this rate of fuel supply for a minute or two, to allow thefloat 30 time to move downwardly to the extent necessary to uncover theopening 36. From then on, the engine may be operated at a more normalspeed until a service station can be reached for the replenishing of thefuel supply.

The construction shown for the purposes of illustration embodies theinvention in preferred forms, but it is intended that the disclosure beillustrative rather than definitive of the invention. The invention isdefined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A fuel supply device comprising a tank, an outlet pipe normallysupplying fuel from the tank to a consuming device, means renderedoperative by a drop in the level of the fuel in said tank below apredetermined point for restricting the flow of fuel to the consumingdevice, and means responsive to a predetermined further lowering of thelevel of the fuel in said tank after the flow of the fuel has beenrestricted for increasing the flow of fuel to the consuming device.

2. A fuel supply device comprising a fuel tank, an outlet pipeprojecting upwardly in said tank to a point spaced a substantialdistance from the bottom thereof, said pipe being open at its upper endfor the unrestricted flow of fuel through said pipe while the level ofthe fuel is above the upper end of said pipe, means providing arestricted flow of fuel from said outlet pipe when the level of the fueldrops below the upper end of said pipe, and means operative by a furtherdrop in the level of the fuel for predetermined distance below the upperend of va substantial distance tpipe,;-meanshauiug a normal position ens a d m opening when thelevel of the fuel is at ileastashighasthe andmeans for uncovering level of the fuels.

said outlet pipe, ,said covering means in its normal positionprovidingfor a restricted flow of fluid from said tank into said outletpipe through said outlet opening.

4. A fuel supply device comprising a fuel'tank, an outlet pipe in saidtank having an open upper end for the flow of fuel from said tank, saidpipe projecting upwardly :a substantial distance from .the bottom of thetank, saidpipe having an outlet opening therethrongh at a point spacedbelow the upper end .of said 'pipe, a collar slidably surrounding saidoutlet pipe, and--a -float connected to said collar at such a distancethereabove that when the level of the fuel is above the upper end ofsaid pipe said collar will cover said outlet opening, said float, whenthe level of the fuel drops to a predetermined extent, moving saidcollar downwardly to uncover said outlet opening, the sliding fit ofsaid collar around said pipe providing for a restricted flow of fuelfrom said tank through said outlet opening and thence through saidoutlet pipe.

5. A device constructed in accordance with claim 4 wherein said tank isprovided with a cap, and means movable with said float and engageablewith said cap when the level of the liquid in said tank is above theupper end of said pipe to position said collar over said outlet opening.

6. In a fuel supply system for internal combustion engines, a fuel pump,means for supplying fuel to said pump,

upperend of said outlet pipe, said outlet opening by a drop in the acarburetor for the engine, a tank, a pipe leading from said pump to theinterior of said tank and forming a supply means from said pump to saidtank, an outlet pipe connected between said tank and the carburetor,said outlet pipe projecting upwardly into said tank to a pointsubstantially above the bottom thereof, the upper end of said outletpipe being open for the free flow of fuel thereinto as long as the levelof the fuel is above the upper end of said outlet pipe, said outlet pipehaving an outlet opening therein spaced a substantial distance below theupper end of .said outlet pipe, and control means restricting the flowof fuel from said tank into said outlet pipe through said opening whenthe level of the fuel in said tank is at least as high as the upper endof said outlet pipe, said control means being operative for uncoveringsaid outlet opening by a drop in the level of the fuel below the upperend of said outlet pipe.

7. in a fuel supply system for internal combustion engines, a fuel pump,means for supplying fuel to said pump, a carburetor for the engine, atank, a pipe leading from said pump to the interior of said tank andforming a supply means from said pump to said tank, an outlet pipeconnected between said tank and the carburetor, said outlet pipeprojecting upwardly into said tank to a point substantially above thebottom thereof, the upper end of said outlet pipe being open for thefree flow of fuel thereinto as long as the level of the fuel is abovethe upper end of said outlet pipe, said outlet pipe having an outletopening therein spaced a substantial distance below the upper end ofsaid outlet pipe, a collar slidably surrounding said outlet pipe andnormally occupying a position coverincreasing the rate of flow of fuelthrough said outlet ing said outlet opening when the level of the fuelis at least as high as the upper end of said outlet pipe, the fit ofsaid collar around said outlet pipe providing restricted communicationbetween the interior of said tank and the interior of said outlet pipethrough said outlet opening, and a float connected to said collar andnormally holding it in said normal position, said float being movabledownwardly when the level of the fuel in said tank drops below the upperend of said outlet pipe to uncover said outlet opening.

8. A fuel supply device comprising a tank, a fuel inlet pipe projectinginto said tank, a fuel outlet pipe projecting into said tank andterminating in an upper end spaced substantially from the top of saidtank, the upper end of said outlet pipe being open, means affordingrestricted communication between the interior of said tank and theinterior of said outlet pipe at a point substantially spaced below theupper end of such. pipe, a valve controlling the fiow of fuel into saidtank through said inlet pipe, and a fioat connected to said valve andcooperating therewith to maintain a normal level of fuel in said tankabove the upper end of said outlet pipe, said float being connected tosaid flow restricting means for moving a portion of the latter andrenderingit ineffective for substantially restricting the flow of liquidfrom said tank into said outlet pipe when the level of fuel in said tankdrops below a predetermined point upon a failure in the supply of fuelthrough said inlet pipe;

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28, 1905 Coseo Mar. 23, 1915 Miller Dec. 23, 1919 Muzzy Nov. 14, 1922Stephens Oct. 16, 1923 Lavoie Apr. 18, 1933 Morse July 1, 1952 FOREIGNPATENTS Germany Jan. 4, 1910 Germany May 29, 1928

